February 2024
H.E. Mr Norio Maruyama (Ambassador of Japan to Ireland) gave a special lecture ‘Global Ireland and Japan’
H.E. Mr Norio Maruyama (Ambassador of Japan to Ireland) highlighted the importance of learning a foreign language as a ‘gateway’ to its culture, society and people, even when AI and robotics can aid and enhance knowledge acquisition of other cultures and intercultural communications.
Ambassador Maruyama also spoke about career opportunities for students, and business collaborations between Japan and Ireland, as a EU member state. The Joint Statement between Japan and Ireland “Taking Forward Partnership with Shared Ambition” signed by between the then Taoiseach (Micheál Martin T.D. and Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio in Tokyo on 20 July, 2022, as well as the Ireland House (to be opened in 2025) were mentioned.
(Mr Xiaokun Tan (left), 2nd year student, BA Global Studies gave a small gift to the Ambassador (right), representing the class of “Gateways to Japan” module 2023/24.)